Tackling human and climate change induced pollution in the Arctic - building resilient socio-ecological systems

Main environmental concerns in the Arctic stem from the loss of pristine environment and unique ecosystems. On one hand, ice melting allows for more people and economic activities to enter the area, and on the other hand, transboundary pollution brings into the Arctic contaminants whose sources are thousands of kilometres away.

Arctic economic development is associated with a high risk of air and marine pollution, particularly from oil spills, local mining, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), heavy metals, radioactive substances, marine litter and plastics. Pollution from Arctic shipping and tourism relying on heavy diesel fuels induce greater ice melting pack and have negative effects on marine life. Pollutants from local and distant sources are taken up by organisms and incorporated into polar food webs, jeopardizing human and environmental health.

Another threat to the Arctic environment is the growing prevalence of marine litter, and specifically plastic pollution. High concentrations of microplastic particles have been detected in Arctic ice, with a good deal of it suspected to have originated outside of the region.

Moreover, the share of MPA coverage in Arctic water (see for example the OSPAR Convention area) is particularly low.

Thawing permafrost brings in additional risks for pollution, from releasing pathogens to infrastructure degradation and failure. Combined, these drivers create a mosaic of multiple and mutually reinforcing anthropogenic stressors acting on the unique and highly vulnerable Arctic ecosystem.

Proposals should aim at developing innovative approaches to address only one of the following options:

• Area A: Local and transboundary Pollutants in the Arctic – risks and challenges in a One Health approach

Actions are expected to identify, assess, and analyse major impacts and risks of remote and local sources of pollution on the health, well-being and food security of Arctic societies and ecosystems and beyond, and propose adaptation and resilience strategies.

Actions should improve the understanding of the interactions between the changing climate system, changes in biological diversity and pollutant levels, including climate-driven ecosystem changes that are affecting natural emissions, such as wetlands (CH4), wildfires (CO2, black carbon), pollutant deposition or transfer and bioaccumulation in marine systems. They should analyse the cultural, socio‑economic and health impacts on residents of the Arctic, their livelihood and food security, as well as adverse effects on the marine and terrestrial biodiversity of the region. They are expected to contribute to a better understanding of long-distance transport of marine plastic litter in the Arctic and air transport of micro plastics, as well to the dynamics between melting ice and increasing discharges of, for example, mercury in the marine ecosystem, and their impact on ecosystems and food safety.

• Area B: Pollution and health risks linked to permafrost thaw

Rising temperatures induce thawing of permafrost, bringing an extra layer of complexity for assessing pollution and health risks in the Arctic environments. Greenhouse gases released from thawing permafrost threaten to cause irreversible changes in the Arctic and other regions. Thawing permafrost causes change in mechanical properties of soils, which in turn deteriorates stability and service-life of built infrastructure and increases coastal erosion.

Actions should address and analyse the adverse effects and pollution risks linked to permafrost thaw, infrastructure degradation and failure, and other associated risks for the environment and human health and well-being. Actions will focus on an improved quantification of these effects, as well as emerging contaminants and re-emission of legacy contaminants due to melting cryosphere or thawing permafrost.

Actions are expected to improve the understanding of the impacts of permafrost thaw on the health of humans, plants, animals, and wider environment, in a One Health approach, including critical infrastructure, water and food security aspects, and wider socio-economic, demographic and cultural impact.

Proposals should assess the impact, trends and new scenarios on ecosystem services, including exploring ecosystems management techniques with special attention to community or nature-based solutions. Potential measures should focus on developing community-oriented decision support systems, and co-design mitigation and adaptation measures.

For both options, proposals should focus on an improved quantification of these effects and explore pathways to minimise risks and should be linked with state-of-the-art climate change predictions coupled with socio-economic models; assess the ecosystems' responses to risk factors and how these responses are affecting the well-being of indigenous populations and local communities but also health of the environment, in a One Health approach; identify adaptation and mitigation strategies, aiming at building resilient Arctic socio-ecological systems.

Proposals are expected to adopt a system thinking or transdisciplinary approach, with simultaneous analysis of environmental, societal, climatic and biodiversity impacts, their relationships and interlinkages, and positive and negative feedbacks. The participation of technical sciences, social sciences and humanities disciplines is important for addressing the complex challenges of this topic, as well as engaging local communities in the research process, as appropriate.

International cooperation is encouraged, with a strong linkage with the ongoing activities under the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance and encouraging participation from countries that take part in the Arctic Science Ministerial meetings.

Actions under this topic should plan on a close collaboration among each other and with the EU Polar Cluster. Actions should build upon and link with past Horizon 2020 projects (e.g. Nunataryuk and Arctic PASSION), EU Polarnet 2, Copernicus, Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON).

Synergies and complementarities with HORIZON-CL5-2024-D1-01-02: Inland ice, including snow cover, glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost, and their interaction with climate change; HORIZON-CL6-2023-COMMUNITIES-11: Participation and empowerment of Arctic coastal, local, and indigenous communities in environmental decision-making; HORIZON-CL6-2023-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-2: Integrated assessment and monitoring of emerging pollutants, and activities under the Arctic-Atlantic Lighthouse of the EU Mission Restore our ocean and waters.